Microsoft plans to make Xbox wireless

A filing with the US Federal Communications Commission has revealed that Microsoft plans to release a wireless networking peripheral for the Xbox, allowing the console to hook up to home Wireless LANs or play System Link games without cables.

The adapter is likely to appeal both to people with existing wireless setups at home - an increasingly popular option for home networks - and those who want to play System Link titles, as it will theoretically allow network connections between consoles hundreds of feet apart.

It's not yet known how much the device will cost, or whether there are any plans to release it in Europe. A number of third-party solutions allowing Xbox and PS2 consoles to be used on wireless LANs exist already, but Microsoft is the first console manufacturer to announce an official wireless product.